Before I get into the titled subject matter, I thought I’d share my Lottery Day story with you all.
Let me sum up my past few weeks in a simple, yet elegant, name. MCFLIPPINGDAVID!!!
The moment is still engraved into my memory. Here I was, working the kitchen at the local A&W on a saturday night, well aware I was missing the Draft Lottery at home. My phone was near dead and, I am ashamed to say, I was scrolling through my twitter feed far more than doing my job. I was working alongside one of my friends, a Flames fan, and we were speculating how McDavid would be for the Buffalo Sabres and casually joking about Edmonton winning the lottery. We both knew that would just be ludicrous and not possible. So work resumed and right as the Oilers spot came up, I had to put down my phone, which was running on 3%, and handle a sudden rush of orders.I knew full-well that McDavids destination had been already determined and I would be late to the party. I slide down the last thing of fries and I step back, take a deep breath and reach for my phone. My first sight was a text, a text that read “we got him”. No way, one of my friends was pulling my leg, knowing I was working. Then a TSN notification confirmed it. The reaction included me yelling and launching of a freezer with my hand and jumping uncontrollably. All in the back of a A&W kitchen. The whole place probably thought I was on something, and technically I was, I was on the Connor McDavid hype train.
Alright, now back to the real discussion at hand.
Lost in the McDavid party was the fact that the Oilers still hold another first round pick in the upcoming draft. That pick, courtesy of a short Pittsburgh playoff run, currently slots in at 16th overall. Having two first round picks has provided the team with more flexibility as they can now decide to either scour the trade market and look to acquire more immediate help with the pick or, possibly could keep the pick and add to their ever-growing crop of up and comers. A trade, involving #16, could possibly fill some major holes on the roster, if they packaged it properly. However, lets say that they decide to keep the pick, which isn’t that bad of an idea, considering that scouts are hyping this draft to be one of the deepest since the star-studded draft of 2003. The Oilers are in a position to transform their identity this offseason, and this draft could be a real game changer.
So….who’s all to pick from?
Jakub Zboril
Position: Left-Handed Defenseman
Height: 6 foot 2 inches
Weight: 185lbs
Latest Season (with St. Johns, QMJHL): 44GP 13G 20A 33P
Who is this guy?
Zboril is decently sized blueliner that has the ability to be effective in all 3 zones of the ice. He offers up some superb skating and has a keen ability to move the puck into the offensive zone. His offensive weapons include a dynamite of a shot that is both powerful and accurate, making him a good power play option as well as being able to pass at an above average level. The Czech also brings along a physical element into his game, not being afraid to step up on an attacker or to clear the crease. His positioning is often very sound but he lacks consistency in maintaining his defensive ability. He has shown to be an excellent defender in his own end, as a result of his mobility, but he has had lapses at times. He’s got time to bulk up on that 185lbs but he’s got the height to be an intimidating presence both offensively and defensively. His NHL comparable is Keith Yandle.
Why would the Oilers draft him?
A defenseman that can move the puck? I don’t think Edmonton has had one of those since Justin Schultz! Er…..never-mind about that. But honestly, the guy sounds like an absolute stud. He posses an excellent shot according to multiple scouting reports, as well as being a gritty guy you can rely on taking the trash out. The Oilers already have one guy in the organization that you can draw a comparison on Zboril, and that is Darnell Nurse. Imagine two PP units that had Nurse and Zboril running it. Sounds awesome. The one thing about Jakub that erks me is his history of being inconsistent in his own end, an attribute that we are all to familiar on. That one thing aside though and I think Jakob Zboril at #16 would be a beauty of a pick and hopefully a few years in juniors and the AHL would help him out with those rusty parts. We all clearly know of the Oilers issues on defence, adding a guy like Zboril to a group that already includes the likes Oscar Klefbom and Darnell Nurse would brighten up the tarnished image
He was initially thought to be a guy that would go in the mid 20’s in terms of draft position, but NHL central scouting has him at #12 in their final rankings for North American skaters. given that Mikko Rantanen is most likely to be drafted ahead of Zboril, as well as other European skaters, Jakub should end up in the 13-16 zone.
ETA: I’d personally give him the Nurse treatment and give him an extra two years in junior and maybe a year or two in the AHL. Jakub Zboril’s estimated time of arrival to the NHL as a regular would probably be around the 2018-19 season.
Evgeny Svechnikov
Position: Left Wing
Height: 6 foot 3
Weight: 205lbs
Latest Season (with Cape Breton, QMJHL): 55GP 32G 46A 78P
Who is this guy?
Evgeny Svechnikov is a heavy and very agile forward who has impressed scouts in his first season junior season in North America. Svechnikov posses elite level hands to go along with an NHL ready frame. He brings a very explosive type of game when it comes to putting up points, not by having elite level speed, rather than his ability to stick handle and force his way through opposing defenders. The flashy Russian is projected to be a top 6 scoring forward with an elite set of hands and an accurate shot. His shortcomings start to appear at the other end of the ice however. His defensive game is often not what it could be, blowing man coverage and getting caught out of position is a common part of Svechnikov’s game. He also has a tendency to hold onto the puck longer than he maybe should, trying to make too much happen by himself instead of using his teammates. These deficiencies aside however, and you got a player who really knows how to pocket a puck into a net. He plays a style similar to Rick Nash, and for that reason, Nash is Svechnikov’s NHL comparable.
Why would the Oilers draft him?
I know what you’re thinking. A scoring Russian with incredible offensive upside, been there and done that. Trust me I know and I agree, but hear me out on this one. You cannot draw comparisons to Yakupov when talking about Svechnikov because, as hard as it may look, these two are actually more different than it seems. The first thing I noticed that differed from Yakupov is the sheer size of Svechnikov. The kid is massive at 6’3″ and 203 pounds. If you properly groom this player and give him time to develop his defensive style, he could overshadow some of the other Oilers youngsters in the future. He also plays on the left-wing, which has been the weakest of the offensive positions for the team, despite having Taylor Hall. Another difference between the two Russians was the fact that Nail Yakupov was a victim of circumstance in Edmonton with Dallas Eakins. Minus Dallas Eakins from the equation and we could very well not be talking about this pick, or McDavid for that matter. Get the Svechnikov, put him in a position where he can develop his defensive game, but also continue to improve on his offensive weapons and this could be a helluva steal at #16.
Evgeny Svechnikov has creeped up the draft rankings as the year came to a close. He initially topped out at #21 in Bob McKenzie’s mid-term prospect rankings, but as the year went on he made his way up to #16 and it wouldn’t be a shock if he was taken before that.
ETA: He’s got NHL-ready size, and he seems to be able to handle himself exceptionally well at the junior level. I don’t see him making the quick jump to the NHL in his draft year but, the 2016-17–2017-2018 seasons are not out of the question by any means.
Jeremy Roy
Position: Right-handed Defenseman
Height: 6 foot 0
Weight: 183lbs
Latest Season (with Sherbrooke, QMJHL): 46GP 5G 38A 43P
Who is this guy?
Jeremy Roy brings a polished two-way game to the table. Sound defensively and smart offensively. He moves the puck effectively with his exceptional passing ability. He provides good awareness of his own position on the ice as well as the players around him. Roy can lead rushes with the puck and plays with a heavy stick that enables him to hold onto the puck effectively. Scouts say that he plays a very mature style of game and backs a power play like a seasoned vet. Away from his defensive upside, you get a very impressive offensive track record. In his sophomore season with Sherbrooke, Jeremy Roy followed up a 44pt rookie season with 43pts in 20 games fewer. Good vision allows him to be stable at both ends of the ice. He is the type of player that can be used in any situation as he possess the ability to slow down the game with the puck on his stick. The only noticeable flaw in his game is the fact that he needs to add more muscle onto that 6’0″ frame. Weighing in at 183 pounds, if Roy can potentially move that up to the 190 range he’d be a much more intimidating presence in his own end. His solid play at both ends of the rink is reminiscent of Ryan Suter, which is Roy’s NHL comparable.
Why would the Oilers draft him?
Is anyone else drooling?….no? well ok, it is extremely early to say this guy is the next Ryan Suter but come on! Jeremy Roy sounds like a gem of a defenceman, a right-handed defenceman to be exact! The Oilers have plenty of left-handed blueliners coming up within the organization but, the right hand side has been lonely place for Justin Schultz. The other thing that made me connect Roy with the Oilers is the fact that he is touted to have excellent puck movement up the ice, a quality that has stealthfully avoided this Oiler team. To have a defenceman that can feed the puck smoothly and efficiently to the glut of young offensive talent that the Oilers deploy would be such an advantage to have. I was also surprised at the amount of praise he got about his work in the defensive zone. He has an effective stick that is able to break up plays and he is close in his zone coverage. Jeremy Roy sounds like the complete package that the Oilers have been patiently waiting for. As mentioned however, it’s still too early to say what this kid will accomplish in the future but its been fairly impressive to date.
Jeremy Roy certainly fits into the typical sleeper pick that could raise a few eyebrows come the June draft. He has struggled to find his way out of the 20-24 overall range. I expect him to be on the board come #16 and the Oilers will have a decision to make on the young Sherbrooke Phoenix defender if they decide to keep the pick.
ETA: I’m going to keep this one short and sweet. The Oilers draft this guy, they must take their time. I think the 2018/19 season is a reasonable time of arrival.
So in conclusion
All three of these guys would be solid picks at the #16 draft position. Jakub Zboril offers up wicked shot that could very well carry a PP unit. Evgeny Svechnikov could one day insert size into the top 6, as well as be a serious scoring threat. Lastly is Jeremy Roy, who is a defender that has the potential to be a stud on the Oilers right side, something that has ailed the team for years. This is very much a three-horse race and I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have a problem with all 3 of these players. If I had to rank the who I’d like to see inserted into the Oilers prospect pipeline it would be:
1. Jeremy Roy (Just what the doctor ordered for the Oilers defence)
2. Jakub Zboril (Wicked shot and has potential to be a solid shutdown guy)
3. Evgeny Svechnikov (Big scoring threat, could offer up size in the Oilers top 6)
This article is meant to spark discussion about a Oilers topic that hasn’t warranted much attention in the recent weeks. It was also based around the hypothetical that they do not trade the pick, I am fully aware of the possibility of it being dealt. So, if you may, leave a comment on who you think would be the right choice at #16! Feel free to toss me a follow on twitter @CrazyOilersFan as well.
As always, McDavid.
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